Automatic resetting and testing means for thermal protectors.



-PATENTED OCT. 29- 1907.

P. B. 000K. AUTOMATIC RBSBTTING AND TESTING mums FOB THERMAL rnorscroas.

APPLIOLTIOI FILED All. I8, 1906.

Z'J MMM/4 FRANK B. COOK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC nssrzr'rme AND rss'rme mans FOB 'rrmmrAL Pao'rsc'roasI,

Application filed April 28.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. Coox, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at tlhicago, in the county of Qookand State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Automatic Resetting and Testing Means for Thermal Protectors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, illustrating same. I p My invention relates to electi'o-thermal protective apparatus and more matically testing and resetting same for another operaation after it has operated. I

The broad idea 05 closing a current of electricity. through a thermal protector to reheat same and reset same in the circuit for anotheroperation, 'is contained in my copending'application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 271,662 filed July 28th, 1905. A modification of the invention contained in the said application Serial No. 271,662, is shown, described and claimed in my copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 373,140,filcd ltlay11th,1907.

The principal object's of my invention are to provide improved means for automatically resetting a reversible heat cartridge and the apparatus associated therewith, for another operation, after it has operated; to provide improved means for testing such a reversihleiheat cartridge without removingsame from the protective apparatus; to provide improved means for testing the heat cartridge while same isremo ved from the protective apparatus; and to provide simplicity and durability in the automatic resetting means. p 4 l Other objects will be apparcnt froni the followingspecification. I v j 4 In electrical protective apparatus comprising a reversible heat cartridge, that is,-a'heat cartridge which must be reversed in position again in .theapparatus, it is necessary to perform the extra operation of reversing the heat cartridge before the apparatus can be set to operative position, and then the condition of the heat cartridge is not tested'toascerftain whether it is in condition for another oper'ation.

In my present invention I do away with the necessity of removing the heat cartridge and reversing sameflo re- 7 position, by applying automatic means thereto to reheatandlautornati .lly reset same for another operation; this process of resetting the protector also testing its serviceable condition.

The heat cartridge preferably illustrated herein is of. the type comprising a central movable 'niember oper- .able endwise and reversible aiteroperation for another operatiombut this particular,- construction in the cart'ridge i s ,n,ot essontialto the invention.

L Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating the preierredformlof my invention,

elevation of a pair oi heatcartrid'ges in connection with Figure 1 is aside Specification or Letters Patent.

1906. Serial so; 314.196.

E other side in on operated p0sition, Fig.2 is avie similar to Fig. 1, but also showing the automatic reset" apparatus; Fig. 3 is an particularly to means for autobefore it can be operated suitably insulated from the spool Fl" i UNITED STATES PA'rnnrioss-rojg 'A Patented o'er. 25," i997 their protective apparatus,

a mounting P t ppamtusonbne'sideof'th i plate being shown in a set position andthat on ting device applied to Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a longitudinal shown in elevation.

Like characters refer to figures.

On the mounting plate l, which-is preferablygroundd 5 5' are mounted by ed, spring members 2 2, 3 3, 4 d, an

like parts in the several I bolts 6 and 7 andsuitably insulated one another 1 by insulation 8. The free @dsprsprngss' a are adapted I 5 pin 10 which is electrically connected with-plate 1 and Y to hold lightning arresters 9 9 in place against a metallic;

erably placed over one contact member for the resters 9 9 to form a stop tor and the free end of spring 4, preierably as shown, so that the end caps 14 limake respective springsl In cartridge 13, the spool '15 through electrical connection with the a the thermal protector or heat v carries, the heat-producing winding 16 and has a pin17 normally soldered there by" easily-fusible solder 18, 'theterrriinalsoi I suitably mounted thereon. A ground"strip l1 ispretf. edge of plate 1;tobe us ed ass.

tree ends of springs .2 2 when 810 60 the operated heatcartrid'geand edge elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an end view :of Fig. 2, with the automatic resetting device removed; Fig. 5 is an edge elevation of the automatic resetting device of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an endviewso'f" I crosssectional view ot the heat cartridge of the apparatus, with aportion mounted on opposite sides winding 16 being soldered to endcapsil -i l-i w'hich 1 I 15 and the. pin

When the heatpsusceptible material 18 is softened, the, pin-17 is free to'rnove in eitherfd irection," vendwise,

through the heat cartridge.

normally engages spring 5. Contact Contact 19 on ,s'pring2, normally il'lgagpfi spring 3, and theouter endmt pin, l7 1 20 of spring-2is adapted to engage the ground strip 11 when spring 2 is I depressed as shown on the right of'Fig. 1. Springs} 2 are preferably line springs,

nected in cornmonin the usual manner) The main circuit. through the winding 1d,

where such apparstusjisused in connectionwith telephone systems or the like, and-springs .4 4 are,preferably switchboardmpringsi... Springs!) 5 are alarm springs and are preierably con heat cartridge .13 ,i s from line spring 2, through contact 19, one end cap 14,

14, and switchboard.

and apparatira' ground; this circuit. being closed when the pin 17 makes electrical connection with the ground plate 1,

ins. manner well understood.

The operation of the device is as"iollows: When an abnormally la'rge currentitraverses the winding 16 of the heat cartridge 13 for a suflicient length of time, it

produces heat in the winding 16,-;whichheat is .con-

" ducted to the'easily-fusible solder l8 to s ofte'ii same.

When solder i8 is sufficiently softened, spring t'pjpre's'se pin 1.7 -through the cartridge Buntil, the-inner .end

thereof engages spring sf-and forces the latte'r"-int x can nectionwith the ground strip l lfiat the sar'ne time breaking the contact between-contact19 nd This operation of the 'ap'parat'us -pp eiis tlI-lcircnitthrough winding '16 at 19, grounder line 2 0?! f groundstrip 11 at 2o,; ahd closes. the alar'rncircuit be tween pin 17 and ground'plate -1 througha poi'tion of the free end of spring 2. arm operation, the apparatus L is in the position shown on.th e right of Fig. 1, the pin 17' having been moved until-the inner end thereof nowprojects from the carti idge'thesarne distance as the.

outerend thereof didjhefore the operation ofthe appamtus. v v To reset the apparatus to operative position for-another operatiom-it is generally customary to remove the ca rtridge 13 from the apparatus, "min same end for end,

. and reinsert as shown onthe left of 1 When this is done, theapparatus may be'operated the same as.

originally, the pin 17 however being now operated back to its original position relatively tothe cartridge. With the automatic resetting'tool, a description of which fol-' lows, it'is not necessary to reset the apparatus to operative position as'just The improved means of" resetting the apparatus, which comprises apart of'the present invention, will be fullydescribed belowl y The automatic resetting device or tool-shown in 2, 5 and 6 comprises an insulating handleportion-21 .which carries a'rigid metallic piece22 andspringmemhers 23' 24, suitably insulated from each other. The: free end-of member 22 is adapted to be inserted between the free ends of springs 4 and 5, as'shown'in' Fig'. 2, the

end portion of 22 being slotted as at-25, Fig. 6, sons to s'tmddle'the e d portion ofpinzli7. The free ndorspring 24 is made narrowsoas fo be'inserted through a slot 26 in spring 3,: the end27 being forced between the free-end of spring .2 andithein'neiend of pin-1'1.- A

small leaf spring 28 is preferably provided on' spring 24,

. to make electrical connection with one end cap 14 of it is desired toheat the latter.

the heat cartridge 13, to assist in closing the circuit of battery 29. through 'winding 16 of the cartridge when it The free end of spring 23 is provided-with a. contact adapted to engage'spring 24 when the latteris depressed. Battery.29 is connected in circuit with spring 23and member The thumb-piece 3'0 is preferably provided on' the resetting tool to be depressed to separate the free end of spring 24 the desired amount from the free end of member 22 when the resetting tool is inserted in the apparatus as shown in Fig.2, When the thumb piece 30 is depressed, spring 24 engages the free end of spring 23, thus closing the circuit of battery'29from spring 24 through the battery to member 22.

inner end 'of pin 1] between the latter and spring'2 and electrical connection the inner end of cartridge 13 throu'gh-theleaf'spring 2s. -I The circuit of battery29 is now closed through member 22, one end cap 14 glotthecarh-idgm winding-16, the other end cap 14, leaf spring 28 'a pdrtion of spring 24, and spring 23. The. cu'rient frombattery 29 new hosts windinglt and there force's pin lToutward to the position shown on the left pf Fig. 2, spring 2 4 at the same time'disengaging spring 23,- just its the apparatus is fully reset, and'thereby cutting set. is does away with spring 23;:The current from battery29jbeing nowcut ofi from theheat carse curing pin 17 its reset positionasshown onjhe'left of Fig. 2. The-resetting may-be now removed Y the apparatus, suchremoval causingspring 2 to engage spring 3 at contact 19, andthe free end 'of springfito en- In resetting the protectiveapparatus from an inoperzjb tive position as shown on the right of Fig. l,- to an operaby lioftensj-the so1 der18 in 5- nm' time; When solder' sufficiently, softened, thei free end 27 of's'pring'24 off the current of battery 29 frori'1 'winding 16.' use; sired,"tihejeaf spring 28 maybe arranged soias to'opeu I thecircuitofgbdttery 29 through theheatcartridge, by

.theend' cap as the-pin ll is fully re-' tridge, the heat subsides andsolder' l8 hardens, there'oy gage the outer end of 1:7, as originally. Now the apparatus may be again by'an'abn'ormally large cur'renti'u thelin'ecircuitalsoriginallyi The cycle of opeiations,- cornprisingthe. operation 4mm; ofthe apparatuses just described, may be peafedasmanytimesasdesired. {Itwill beseen'thatin,

resetting 'the apparatus," the cartridgeis heated and op the thermal protector or erin ue, for the reason-that if properly reheat, -l'ei'set and-resolder, it must be .abndrnially large' current i in the lineucii-cuit. Ifthe itshows that it is not injcm dition to be operated byan abnormally largecurrentin the line circuit, and

'erated the same as by an abnormhllylar'ge current the line circuit', but in an opposite-direction; This ref setting the apparatus teststhe serviceable oondition oi conditionto reheat'andoperate again from an t protector will-riot reheatireset and' r esolder properly,

should bereplaced by a -new Thus, will I be seen, that'it isimpossihle to have afline circuit through the protectiveapparatusprovided with a de f'ective heat cartridge,

'sition.

be removed from the protective apparatus and. the resetting tool of Figs, 2, 5 and othenapplie'd thereto thev same as in: g e apparatus in Fig. 2, to simply heat the cartridge an operatethe'pin-l? as a tester: the condition of the cartridge. This: provides a very simple desired to reset the apparatus to operative position. I doino't wish to limit the constructiou'of the device .yvlien' the apparatus set'po It will readily be so. that tlie hat'mid aia may method of testingsuch heatjcartridg e, even if it is not of this invention to the'pnrticular details as herein 1;;shown, as modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letter Patent is:

l. A resetting tool for a reversible electrothermal protector having a central operable member, comprising means tector is thus heated. as a test on the condition of the protector. I 5. A resetting tool for a reversible electro-thermal pro-'.

for applying current to the protector to heat same, and spring mechanism for operating the central operable member in one direction to'reset same for another operation in a reversed direction.

2. A resetting tool for an electro-thermal protector hav-- tromechanical meansfor heating the protector and operating the central operable member in one direction to set the protector for another operation in a reversed direction.

4. A testing device for an electrothermnl protector hav- I ing-a central operable member, comprising means for applying current to the protector to heat same, and means for operating the central operable member when the protector having-a central operable spindle'e xtendlng there-' through and a spring member bearing against one end of the spindle to operatesame, comprising a portion forbearing 'the said spring member away from the end of the" spindle. a spring member for engaging the opposite end of the spindle to operate same up'on heating, and means for closing a heating current through the protector. I

6. A resetting tool for an'electro-thermai protector having an operable pin extending therethrough, comprising means for closing aicircuit through the protector for heating, and a spring adapted to bear against one end of the said pin to operate same when the device is properly heated, for purposes substantially as described.

7. Atesting tool for a heat cart-ridge having a central operable spindle, comprising means for closing a current through the cartridge to heat same, and means for moving the spindle endwise when the cartridge is heated, to test same.

8. A resetting .tool for electro-thermal protectors, comprising a rigid portion, a pair of spring memb'ers normally out of contact with each other, and a thumb piece carried by the rigid portion .for depressing one-o! the spring members into electrical connection with the other ,and for arranging the position of the several members suitable for applying the tool to a protector to reset same.

As inventor of the foregoing I hereunto subscribe my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 24th.day 0t April, 1906.

FRANK B.. COOK.

Witnesses FREDERICK R. Psnxnn, F. W. Pnnnn. 

